FIFA election for new president on Feb 26

ZURICH: FIFA will hold a special election on February 26 to replace president Sepp Blatter, football’s scandal-tainted world body said Monday as French football great Michel Platini moved closer to launching a campaign.
The FIFA executive, including rivals Blatter and Platini, agreed the date at a meeting in Zurich where the “exraordinary elective FIFA congress” will be held.
Blatter announced on June 2, four days after winning a fifth term as president, that he would stand down as a major corruption storm hit world football’s ruling body.
The decision was a victory for Blatter who had wanted the vote pushed back until 2016. UEFA and some other regional bodies had sought a December election.
FIFA is still reeling from the arrest of seven officials at a Zurich congress two days before Blatter won reelection on May 29.
The seven are among 14 people — soccer officials and sports business executives — accused by US authorities over more than $150 million in bribes paid to secure television and marketing contracts for football tournaments.
Former FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb appeared in a New York court on Saturday after being extradited from Switzerland last week. He denied bribery charges but was only released on $10 million bail.
Swiss authorities are in parallel investigating the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.
Candidates for the FIFA presidency have until October 26 to put their names forward.
Blatter said Monday that he would not be a candidate in the election to find a successor.
A British comedian interrupted his press conference by throwing paper money in front of the bemused FIFA president just as he was about to speak.
The 79-year-old Blatter was about to give details of a special election for a new president when he was interrupted by Simon Brodkin, who was immediately taken away by security guards.
The press conference was halted for a few

minutes while the paper was cleaned up before Blatter returned and blamed the incident on “a lack of education”.
On his way out, Brodkin — stage name Lee Nelson — threw another bundle of notes at a clearly shaken Blatter, saying “here you go Sepp”.
After the stunt, Brodkin tweeted a photo of himself with the message: “Excited to be at FIFA meeting Sepp Blatter to secure the #NorthKorea2026 World Cup.”
So far only Brazilian football great Zico has officially declared himself. But Platini is considered the favourite to take over if he decides to stand.
Platini will decide in the next two weeks whether to run, a source close to the UEFA leadership said.
The 60-year-old Frenchman is closing on a campaign after getting verbal support from four of the six regional confederations that make up football’s world body, the source told AFP
Only the Confederation of African Football (CAF) — led by Blatter ally Issa Hiyatou — and the Oceania confederation is not backing Platini.
The UEFA leader has made increasing calls for reform of the world body in recent months. These have been heightened since the raid on the Zurich hotel to detain the seven FIFA officials.
“He is seriously considering running. He will make a decision in the next two weeks maximum and then make an announcement,” the source said.
If Platini, now in his third term as president of Europe’s UEFA, decides not to stand he could reveal who he will back in the election.
“Platini knows that the decision must be taken quckly to close the door against any other challenger,” the source said.
Platini backed Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, a former FIFA vice president from Jordan, when he stood against Blatter in May. The prince could again be a candidate in February’s election.
Chung Mong-Joon, another former FIFA member from South Korea, is also considering a run.
Brazilian football great and former sports minister Zico has already said he will stand. Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has also indicated he is ready to join a campaign.
European football leaders say Platini has been consulting widely about whether to stand in the election. This was confirmed by the source.
“He has been listening to a lot of people and weighing up everything they have said about FIFA’s future. He has been very touched by the warm comments of support he has had.
“But sometimes statements that are made are not worth as much as they should be,” the source warned to explain the UEFA chief’s hesitation.